1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flavorings, and in particular, relates to fruit flavoring agents.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates to a new flavoring agent capable of imparting to diverse foodstuffs the taste and aroma of soursop (Annona muricata L.). Specifically, the invention relates to the discovery that the soursop flavor is imparted by a mixture of four methyl esters, two organic acids and linalool, said mixture containing these compounds in certain specific proportions. Numerous food flavorings simulating the taste, and sometimes, the aroma, of various products and natural foodstuffs have been developed, including various synthetic fruit flavors. Thus, the patent of Wilson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,209) describes the use of hexynyl alkanoates to provide a tropical fruit or coconut flavors among others. Luccarelli, Jr. et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,114) uses a mixture of C4-C.sub.10 -N-alkanoic acids with the ethyl ester of 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-pentanoic acid to yield a fruit flavor. The disclosure of all patents and publications cited herein are incorporated herein by reference.
The flavor and aroma components of soursop have received little attention. However, MacLeod and Pieris (MacLeod, A. J. and Pieris, N. M., J. Agric. Food Chem. 29:488-490, 1981) obtained and analyzed samples of soursop with the purpose of identifying the aroma components. Of the 44 components which they found, they identified 24, and they concluded that most aroma components were esters. Methyl hexanoate and methyl 2-hexenoate were the two most abundant components.
Fruits such as soursop go through a series of developmental stages as the fruits ripen. Each of these stages is characterized by a different flavor due to a different combination of flavor components. Certain components may be present at one stage in a high concentration and be absent or at a very low concentration at another stage. Generally, there is only a short time period when each fruit has the optimum taste for the average consumer. Thus, in the flavor and aroma technology industry, the proportion of the different components utilized is nearly as important in expressing a chosen flavor as is the actual selection of the components. Previous researchers have not determined the components of soursop which cause the flavor to be the preferred, optimal flavor.
Initial research on the identification of soursop components is described in the M.S. thesis of Sonia Rivera Gonzalez, which is on deposit in the General Library of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new flavoring composition which, when incorporated into foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals alike, will impart a pleasant, natural soursop flavor.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.